The Monitoring Racket: The Grift that Keeps on Giving
Date:
Location:
Arizona State Senate, Room SHR109, 1700 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance will hold a field hearing on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. MST. The field hearing, "The Monitoring Racket: The Grift that Keeps on Giving," will examine more than a decade of federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, overseen by a court-appointed monitor, which has imposed significant operational constraints since January 2014. Repeatedly shifting compliance requirements by the court monitor has created a moving goalpost, contributing to an estimated nearly $350 million burden on county taxpayers and raising concerns about accountability, duration, and impacts on public safety.
WITNESSES:
- The Honorable Debbie Lesko, Vice Chair, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors; former Member of Congress
- Felix Garcia, Community Advisory Board for the Monitor of Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
- Jon Riches, Vice President for Litigation and General Counsel, Goldwater Institute's Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation